Refrigeration apparatus



Feb. 15,1938- s. c. EAKER ET AL 2,108,478

REFRIGERATION AP PARATUS Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.. l.

WITNEssE's; INVENToRs IDA/Ey C. EAKER a d ELoTTEGRm/R Feb. 15, 193s. s. c, EAKER T AL 2,108,478

` REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18, 1935 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

\ q/ cLoT-H 9* 7 avi J \a e wnNEssEs: INVENToRs 'WM SIDNEY CEHKER and wn M' ELLIOTTE GRovER.

i? BY W ATTQ EY circulated through the Patented Feb. l5, 1938 BEFRIGEBATION APPARATUS Sidney C.

iieid, Mass.,

tric a: Manufacturing Company,

Eimerand Elliott E. Grover, spring# assignors to Westinghouse Elec- East Pittsburgh. Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania l Application January 18;'1935, serial No. 2,34'2 5 Claims.' (Ci. 62-116) a plurality of vertically-extending spaced vanes 3i of sound absorbing material are disposed. The vanes may be of any desired shape or con-,

Our invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and particularly to air cooled compression type refrigeration apparatus.

It is an object of our invention to provide 5 improved means for circulating cooling air into and out of the machinery 'compartment of compression-type refrigeration apparatus, so that noise is prevented from passing out of the machinery compartment, and so that cooling air machinery compartment is not readily recirculated therethrough.

This and other objects are-effected by our invention as will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the back of a refrigerator cabinet embodying our improved air circulating means;

Fig. 2 is a plan view oi the machinery compartment of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1, with nthe top of the machinery compartment4 removed;

` and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of our improved air circulating assembly.

Referringspeciiically to the drawings for a detailed descriptionof our invention, a refrig-1 erator cabinet II is shown in'Flgs. 1 and 2 which includes a food storage compartment I2 and a machinerya compartment I8. They top of the machinery compartment I 3 is covered by a removable cap I4 to facilitate mounting of a refrigeratlng unit, generally indicated at I5, in the refrigerator cabinet II.. Apertures I8 and I1 are provided in a wall I8 of the machinery compartment I8 fora purpose hereinafter described.

lTherefrigerating unit I5 embodies a compressor I9, a motor 2l for driving the compressor and a condenser 22 wherein liquefaction of compressed refrigerant vapor occurs, as is well understood in the refrigeration art. A fan; 428 is also preferably disposed within the machinery compartment between the condenser 22 and motor-compressor. assembly I8, 2l for forcing cooling air over the motor, compressor and con-- denser.. A shroud 28 surrounds the condenser 22 for directingthe cooling air over the condenser 22.

Our improved air baiiie assembly, generally indicated bynumeral 24, is shown in Fig. 3. I'he assembly includes a pan member 25 openat 28 at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a cloth connector 21. A member 28 is also attached to the upper end of the pan member 25 and is provided with an aperture 28 in which the machinery compartment into the pan member 25 -sound absorbing material figuration.

The baille assembly 24 refrigerating cabinet ner. The pan member 25 refrigerator cabinet by upper end is assembled is fastened on the II in the following manto the suitable means with the thereof registering with the opening I5 in the machinery compartment II, and with the lower open end 28 below the partment II. The cloth connector machinery com- 21 is fastened to the condenser shroud 28 within the machinery compartment I I.

The aperture 28 in supporting member 28 registers with the aperture I1 in the machineryv compartment II, and the vanes 8l extend into i3 through the ap- 28 is also fastened to by any -suitable vertically-extending spaced erture I1. The member the refrigerator cabinet Il means.

In operation, the fan 28 draws cooling air through its open end 26, the air passing through the inlet opening I6 into the machinery compartment I3. Air

then is drawn through the cloth connector 21, condenser shroud 28 and over and compressor i8 into the main the condenser 22, motor 2l portion of the machinery compartment I3, thus abstracting heat from the apparatus in the machinery compartment. The cooling air is then forced through the passages between the spaced vanes of sound absorbing material 2| ing- I1 in the machinery compartment through aperture 28 in member 28 of baille assembly 24. show the direction of and out the exhaust open- I3 and the air The arrows shownin Fig. 2

iiow of the cooling air.

By utilizing our invention, noise from operation of the motor, vented from passing through the haunt openings I8 and i1, respectively, machinery compartment low the direction of air compressor and ian are preinlet and exin the airV passages of sound same as deadening material is the if a relatively long passage of sound deadening material was utilized. Each square inch of surface of the vanes I dampens some large total area of portion of the existing sound. By providing a sound deadening material,

silencing is eiiectively accomplished. The cloth connector 21 and elongated pan member 25 pre- I8. Noise-tends to folflow and the vanes of 8| eiiectively prevent the inlet opening I6 because the passage 26 of the pan member 25 is disposed a substantial distance below the exhaust opening I1, the warm air, obviously, tending to rise. Prevention of recirculation insures a supply of coolair to the apparatus in 'the machinery compartment, whereby the refrigerating apparatus operates at highiA efciency.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that we have provided an improved construction for air cooled compression refrigeration apparatus which prevents noise from emanating from the machinery compartment housing the refrigeration apparatus, and which prevents immediate recirculation of air discharged from the machinery compartment.

While we have shown our invention in but one form, art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and We desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specicaily set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, walls forming a machinery compartment for housing the motor and compressor, said machinery compartment having air inlet and exhaust openings in a wall thereof, a fan for circulating air into and out of said machinery compartment through said openings, and a plurality of sound-dampening vanes disposed in spaced 'relation across one of said openings perpendicularly o said wall embodying said openings, said spaced sound-dampening vanes-providing a plurality of Substantially unrestricted passages in said lastvmentioned opening from said machinery'comto dampen the pas-v partment and being effective sage of noise from the machinery compartment through the last-mentioned opening.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, walls forming a machinery compartment for housing the motor and compressor, said machinery compartmenthaving inlet. and exhaust openings in one of said walls, and a plurality of sound-dampening vanes disposed in spaced rela tion across one of to said wall embodying said openings, said spaced it will be obvious to those skilled in the said openings perpendicularly sounddampening vanes providing a plurality of substantially unrestricted passages in said last- `mentioned opening from said machinery compartment and being effective to dampen the passage of noise from the machinery compartment through the last-mentioned opening.

3. In refrigeration apparatus, the combination "of a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, a condenser for" liquefying compressed refrigerant, a shroud surrounding the condenser,

ka machinery compartment for housing the motor, compressor and condenser, said machinery compartment having inlet and exhaust openingsv therein, a fan disposed in the machinery compartment for circulating cooling air through said shroud and over the condenser, a cover pan for vthe inlet opening having an inlet passage at one end thereof, a cloth connector at the other end of the cover pan, said cloth connector connecting with Vsaid condenser shroud, and a plurality oi sound dampening vanes disposed in spaced relation across the exhaust opening and extending into the machinery compartment, said cover pan, cloth connector and vanes dampening the passage of noise from the machinery compartment through the inlet and exhaust openings.

4. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a motor` for driving the compressor, walls forming a machinery compartment for housing the motor and compressor, said machinery compartment having an air outlet opening in a wall thereof and a plurality of sound deadening vanes disposed in spaced relation across said outlet opening and extending into Isaid machinery compartment perpendicularly to the Wall embodying said outlet opening, said spaced sound-deadening vanes providing a piurality of substantially unrestricted passages in said Youtlet opening from said machinery compartment and being eiective to dampen the passage of noise from the machinery compartment through the outlet opening.

5. In 'reirigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, walls forming a machinery compartment for housing the motor and compressor, said machinery compartment having an air exhaust opening in a wall thereof, a fan for directing cooling air out of the machinery compartment through said exhaust opening, anda plurality'of sound-dampening vanes disposed in spaced relationacross .said exhaust opening and extending a substantial distance into said machinery compartment perpendicularly to said wall embodying the exhaust opening, said sounddampening vanes providing a plurality of substantially unrestricted passages in said exhaust opening from said machinery compartment and being effective to dampen the passage of noise from the machinery compartment through the exhaust opening.

SIDNEY C. EAKER. ELLIO'I'I' E. GROVER. 

